Protests broke out against the arrest of an Arambai Tenggol member in Manipur's capital Imphal on Saturday night.
The protesters, mostly young people who are members of the Meitei volunteer group Arambai Tenggol (AT) which the Kuki tribes accuse of attacking their villages at the peak of the ethnic clashes, burnt tyres on the roads and shouted slogans against the arrest of AT leader Kanan Singh.
Night visuals from Imphal showed crowds demanding Kanan Singh to be freed. Residents posted on social media that they heard what sounded like gunfire in Imphal's Kwakeithel area.
Some protesters said the AT handed over illegal and looted weapons after Governor AK Bhalla's order, and are unarmed now on security guarantees given by the authorities. They also demanded the arrest of Kuki insurgents who attacked Meitei villages under the guise of "village volunteers".
Moreh Situation
The protest in Imphal comes amid agitation by the Kuki tribes over the arrest of a suspect from their community from the border town Moreh for allegedly killing a police officer with a sniper rifle in October 2023.
Kuki civil society groups alleged "arbitrary arrest" of Kamginthang Gangte, who is an accused in the murder case of Manipur Police officer Chingtham Anand, and called a shutdown in Tengnoupal district where Moreh is located.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is looking into several cases in Manipur, including against AT chief Korounganba Khuman.
Police sources said that with the state deeply divided on ethnic lines, investigators face resistance from both communities whenever they move in to arrest suspects as part of the formal process.
